Moscow & Mordovia, Russian Federation – May 2025
BRICS Women’s Business Alliance South Africa (BRICS WBA SA) has successfully concluded a landmark bilateral mission to the Russian Federation, encompassing participation at the II BRICS Women Entrepreneurship Forum in Moscow and the 2025 Mastors Forum in the Republic of Mordovia.
The South African delegation was led by HRH Princess Lebogang Zulu, National Chairperson of BRICS WBA SA, and included Board Members of BRICS WBA SA, Members of Parliament, and a dynamic cohort of high-profile entrepreneurs and sectoral leaders representing strategic industries across agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, digital technology, healthcare, and creative industries.
We extend our deepest gratitude to Ms. Anna Nesterova, Chair of BRICS WBA Russia, whose outstanding leadership and diplomatic precision ensured the strategic success of this multilateral mission. Her stewardship of the II BRICS Women Entrepreneurship Forum created fertile ground for cross-border collaboration and long-term investment alignment within the BRICS+ framework.
Throughout the mission, BRICS WBA SA engaged in more than a dozen high-level engagements with Russian government bodies, special economic zones, financial institutions, and innovation platforms. These meetings were not ceremonial—they were technical, results-driven, and executed to translate goodwill into actionable partnerships.
Key Strategic Outcomes:
- Signing of multiple cooperation agreements with Orthomoda (fashion manufacturing and export), the Union of Women in Construction (infrastructure partnerships), and the Russian Agency for Strategic Initiatives (technology and innovation exchange);
- Formal commitment by Alabuga SEZ and Etalon Stroi Ural to absorb a combined 5,600 South African workers through the BRICS Global Employability Quest, targeting infrastructure and industrial roles in 2026;
- Structured cooperation with the Moscow Government and Commissioner for Entrepreneurs’ Rights, with an MoC earmarked for signing;
- Exploration of digital broadcasting, satellite services, and joint content production through engagements facilitated by Honourable Minister Natalia Sanina during a visit to the Gosinform State Data Centre.
“We return to South Africa with executable agreements, new pathways for industrial cooperation, and a clear mandate to localize global opportunities,” said HRH Princess Zulu. “We are especially thankful to Ms. Anna Nesterova and the BRICS WBA Russia Chapter for creating a platform that affirms women’s leadership in shaping the economic future of the Global South.”
This mission demonstrates the evolving role of BRICS WBA as a catalytic force in women-led economic diplomacy, advancing employment, export, infrastructure, and sovereign innovation within the BRICS partnership.
Despite the absence of formal government funding, this strategic mission was made possible through voluntary leadership, private contributions, and partner goodwill—highlighting the urgency for formal institutional support to sustain South Africa’s leadership within BRICS cooperation frameworks.
BRICS WBA SA remains committed to delivering on the promise of a multipolar, inclusive global economy, grounded in shared prosperity, mutual respect, and regional integration led by women entrepreneurs.
